Hummingbird Sugar Water 101

Attract hummingbirds (or increase their traffic) in your yard with these expert sugar water tips.

The Recipe
If you haven’t memorized the recipe yet, then now is the time. Combine four parts hot water to one part sugar. Mix it up until it’s completely dissolved. Once it cools to room temperature, it’s ready.

To Boil or Not to Boil
Using really hot water will usually suffice. However, if you plan on making extra sugar water to store in the fridge or you have so-so water quality, then it’s best to boil.

STEVE AND DAVE MASLOWSKI

Honey Do or Honey Don’t?
Some people like to come up with creative ways to sweeten their sugar water without sugar, and the most common stand-in is honey. Not only is honey a bad idea in general, but it can also make your sugar-water mixture ferment more quickly. Skip the honey, and stick to sugar.

The Red Dye Debate
Even though every bird authority around the country seems to agree that you don’t need red dye, people still add it to their sugar water. You also see companies offering pre-made sugar water that is red. If this is you, don’t feel bad—but it’s time to break this habit once and for all. You don’t need red water to attract hummingbirds. In fact, it could be bad for the birds (scientists are still figuring this one out). Either way, it’s not worth the risk.

The Important Extras
Sugar water eventually goes bad, unless you’re lucky enough to have a busy feeder that the hummingbirds quickly empty. You should be in the habit of changing it every few days or even sooner if it’s really hot out. Also, don’t forget to clean your feeders occasionally. Mold can collect, so you want to make sure you’re offering hummingbirds clean, safe water.

Did You Know?
It’s always best to stick with real sugar in your mix. Say no to sugar substitutes.

Backyard Tip
Add another sugar-water feeder in late summer when migration increases. This will help keep feisty males from fighting for space.

“I rinse my feeders with vinegar, and they stay clean. I rinse them every time I change the food. It’s so easy and works well.” —Mattie Stillwell Tenaha, Texas

“I keep a box of parakeet gravel on hand to clean my feeders. Put a couple teaspoons in the feeder with warm water, then swirl and rise. It cleans the toughest mold.” —Sally Brovold Kulm, North Dakota

“I don’t mind cleaning my hummingbird feeders except for all those little yellow bee guards. I found an easy way to do it, though. Take any juice bottle that has a wide opening and add 3 cups of water along with 1/8 cup of bleach. Add the bee guards, replace the cap and shake. Then let it sit for five minutes and shake again. Once you take them out and rinse them well, you’ll have clean bee guards.” —Marija Domijan St. Louis, Missouri

Can you update the article with a quick note on the preferred sugar to water ratio? I know this info is available in many other places on the web, but since this article addresses so many of the important issues around hummingbird feeders, adding the ratio info here would make a really complete reference for your readers.

Hi, Lillian ~ No. Please do not use any kind of sugar or sweetener other than white cane sugar, sometimes known as table sugar. No raw sugar, no turbinado sugar, no brown sugar, no honey, no sugar substitutes/artificial sweeteners, no corn syrup, no beet sugar, no maple syrup – nothing that isn’t pure white cane sugar. The other substances contain elements that could be dangerous, even fatal, to the birds. Thank you.

Here’s a little tip about the sugar. I use an electric coffee grinder to grind up the white cane sugar to make it easier to dissolve in water. They used to sell extra fine sugar which was nice, but most grocery stores do not stock that any longer, plus it was more expensive.

I use 2 sugar 4 boiling water in early summer. As we progress through the early summer months, and my feeders are fairly well established, I cut back with 1 1/2 to 4 and eventually 1 cup sugar to 4 cups of boil hot water. Make sure that your sugar is ALWAYS thoroughly dissolved.

I have rescued hummers with beaks sealed closed sitting at our water feeders/mister. I have thought this might have been due to a stronger than necessary sugar:water ratio. Hummers do remember their earlier years’ feeders, so I don’t think it is necessary to “entice” them with extra-strong nectar.

I do have a soft foam brush for cleaning the feeder but what works well also is a tooth brush. I use it to clean the yellow attachment on the feeder that they drink out of. and also a Q Tip works well to clean the inside. holes.

I use toothbrushes too to scrub off the grime on the perches and ports. Then I shake bleach and water around the inside of the glass feeder. Except for the hottest of days at the end of summer, my nectar lasts a full week, if the hummers don’t drink it all first.

i– 2 days ago hung a brand new feeder.my question is do the humming birds drink from the feeder that have bee guards.please let me know if its better with or without.also i would really appreciate any answers sent to my email only because i dont visit here very often.thank to anyone that can help me.

I have had a problem with the bee guards because they are yellow. Yellow attracts bees, and they may not be able to get into the feeder; but will guard the feeder and chase off the hummingbirds. A bee sting to a hummer is fatal. I use small 8 oz LIttle Fancy Rose feeders by Aspect and just clean them every day; when it is over 90 degrees; I clean them 2 times a day. They also have these little rubber bee guards that go inside the feeders that are effective and cheap, but need to be cleaned often or they will grow the black stuff really fast. I found that just keeping them really clean makes a difference. Also do not make it sweeter than the recipe, the sweeter the nectar the more bees you will attract. If you are having a problem with yellow jackets, as I was, I put out a special trap to catch the queens in the spring; and that made all the difference this year.

Please let people know never to use RAW sugar instead of white sugar. Never use honey, which promotes dangerous fungal growth, molasses, or brown, raw, or organic sugar, which contain levels of iron that could be lethal. Plain white sugar perfectly mimics the chemical composition of natural nectar.

I use a soft birdfeeder brush or soft bottle brush to clean the main part of feeder, then I use a clean toothbrush and a pipe cleaner to clean other hard to reach or tiny areas. It gets them spotless. But the main thing is to at least rinse them each time and get any little piece of crud out of there before it cause bacteria or mold.

Debi, the Hummers will come to your feeders as soon as they notice them! I would tie strips of red ribbons long enough to move in the breeze in the vicinity of your feeder. The movement of red will catch the attention of the Hummers, once they find it, they will return… Along with a few friends! Enjoy!

I use the feeders that are two halves that pop apart. Much easier to clean. I use soapy water, a toothbrush and one of those tiny hummingbird feeder brushes to do the holes. I wash them everytime I change the water which is once a week. I boil the water and add more than the 1 to 4. Mine is more like 1 to 3. Also, I have those little moats that I hang between the feeder and the baffle that I keep full of water to keep ants out. I use the baffle to protect the feeder from rain and I’ve even seen a hummer sitting on feeder during the rain where he was protected.

Hi Lou, I have the ones that come apart in the middle and love them too! Kathleen is right, your ratio is a little too high and can be bad for the little hummers. I love the baffle idea! Where did you find one? Also, if it is hot out, you might want to clean them every day. It is hard to see the mold growing sometimes, but when you are cleaning them, if they feel slimy inside; that is mold and can be deadly to the little guys. Mold in your feeder can cause an infection in their tongue; which causes it to swell and they can’t eat and can starve. So; if you live in a much cooler area; and it is not hot, you should change the water every 3 days; if hot every day. To give you a good example how fast sugar water can go bad – do you drink sweet tea? If you make a picher of sweet tea and leave it out on the counter at room temperature; the next day it will taste sour.

I make hummingbird food following 1:4 ratio, always use cane sugar. I have found that using boiling water allows the food to last a bit longer when it is really hot, but I always change the nectar out every couple of days. I also store extra food in GLASS carafes that can be fully sealed.

Pandalana is correct when talking about sweat tea going bad quickly; that’s a really good example!

never use honey, which promotes dangerous fungal growth, molasses, or brown, raw, or organic sugar, which contain levels of iron that could be lethal. Plain white sugar perfectly mimics the chemical composition of natural nectar.

I had a constant problem w/ants, no matter what I tried until I bought a simple thing on line called -ant guard from Pesky Pet. It’s a small upside down plastic thing that goes above the feeder. I had my doubts, but, boy was I surprised. From the day it went up – No More Ants! I bought a couple more for the other hummer feeders.

Very inventive idea, but please, no Vaseline or any oil, please, can get on the hummingbirds wings and they have a hard time getting it off. I read that it can cause them not to be able to fly and a downed hummingbird is in a dangerous situation.

I use “Tanglefoot”, a Vaseline like product but thicker and sticker. You can get it at any nursery.

As far as it getting on the wings, I’ve never had that happen in decades of use. The Vaseline or Tanglefoot should be applied only to the area the feeder hook attaches to, not on the feeder or the hook on the feeder at all (which would create a tough cleaning job for you). Hummers are quite smart and are very alert. How and why would it get on their wings?

Get an ant mote. They cost about 5 dollars (can buy at Amazon) and they work great. Just fill with water,ants will not bother the feeder. Its much better than putting skin so soft or vasilne which could contaminate the feeder if it should happen to get inside when cleaning.

i live in Tucson. I have 2 hummingbird feeders. I’ve had several hummingbirds at each feeder until about 3 weeks ago, we also have salvia plants that they like. Now they are gone. Any reason why, we miss them , we have a big backyard for them. I’d greatly appreciate any help or advice

I get tons of hummers visiting my 2nd floor balcony. It helps to hang a few small feeders close together, to slow down any “bully males”. Also , if you can plant a few hummer friendly plants in containers, that helps, too.
My feeders ended up attracting 4 species of hummingbirds, hooded Orioles, and gold finches, so I would say it’s worthwhile. Keep an eye out for mantises, I’ve had them stake out my feeders lately.

Please don’t use any oils or Vaseline; as I have read that it can get on their wings and they can’t fly; and that is bad for a little guy….because if he is on the ground; he is vulnerable. Hummingbirds can walk, they can only perch. An ant moat works wonders. You can buy one, or some people make their own from recycled lids.

I have made a couple of “ant moats” by using CLEAN spray paint can lids (red, white or yellow for color) with the ‘double ring’ centers. Drill a hole in the center of cap to accept a pencil thick or slightly larger dowel or plastic tube and epoxy or hot glue it in. The longer end of dowel on the open side of the lid. drill small holes at either end of dowel/plastic tube to accept feeder hook and hanging S- hooks and hang it open side up, add water to outer ring to its top and you’re good to go.

An ant moat is great for keeping the ants out. They’re around $5. Ants won’t travel through water so these work great. You fill them with water and hang them first, then you hang your feeder from it. The ants would have to travel through the water to get to the feeder.

Why do you casually refer to using real sugar? Pure Cane Sugar and real sugar can be very different things. Sugar made with GMO sugar beets or corn syrup are sugar but they are bad for hummingburds. And why do you use such soft language, “say no to sugar substitutes”? Why not clearly state that sugar substitutes will poison hummingbirds? People that want to feed hummingbirds need to hear the truth.

never use honey, which promotes dangerous fungal growth, molasses, or brown, raw, or organic sugar, which contain levels of iron that could be lethal. Plain white sugar perfectly mimics the chemical composition of natural nectar

the bees took over my hummer feeders, haven’t seen many bees this season or hummers either for that matter…. it’s spring so am hoping there is plenty of food available, although we have had to severely reduce our water usage, lots of plants gone….the bee guards don’t stop the bees, have tried various things, want the hummers to stick around……

It might help to get a bowl type feeder like the Hummzinger. They are a little more expensive, but they do keep out the bees. I’ve also had good luck with the Best 1 feeders. You want a feeder where the birds have to dip their beaks down, but its too deep for the bees to reach. The bees are stubborn but will give up eventually

I use the Aspect bird feeders with the little slits instead of holes. The one I have is called the Aspect Little Fancy Rose 8 oz feeder and I put out more than one and just clean them every day. They also sell these little silicone bee guards that go on the inside of the feeder and work really well, but grow the mold extra fast; so have to be cleaned at least every other day. The yellow bee guards attract the bees because they are attracted to yellow. If you are having a big problem with yellow jackets this year – you may have to find the nest. I put out a yellow jacket trap this year in early spring and it worked – it traps the queen. Timing is important.

Since I started using Humzingers, I haven’t had to worry about bees, but before that, yes! One suggestion that worked for me was to make ONE feeder higher sugar content (it will attract the bees) and keep the others at 1 to 4 ratio or a little lower. If you’re having a major bee problem, make the ratio a little lower on the other feeders until they get used to having “their own” feeder. It works!

There are feeders with slits instead of holes that keep them out except for the tiniest bees. I use one by Aspect, but there are others. Aspect also sells little bee guards that go on the inside of the feeder and they work really well. Yellow bee guards attract bees; they like yellow.

Had about 13 bummers last year. This year I have seen only two. They are here. We have well water. This winter we added a filter system and salt to the well. Could this be why they don’t seem to like my feeders?

I have well water and I have a salt water system for my house to get rid of hard water. The hummers still like my water. The bullies try to keep others away, but I guess that is their nature. I get e-mails from birds and blooms.

When the yellow jackets decide to take over the feeders, the only thing that I have found that will get them, is to stand near the feeder with an ‘electric fly swatter’–no kidding. It looks like a badminton racket, but has two batteries that are activated by the user. Just one zing usually gets the little varmints. Be careful that you don’t knock the feeder off its hanger. And wash the sticky off the strings every so often also.

If you use bleach to clean the feeder/feeder parts, rinse very well with water, and then neutralize the bleach with a small amount of white vinegar right from the bottle. Then rinse with water until you can no longer smell the vinegar. This assures that the bleach will not harm our hummers.

I’m concerned about using oil or petroleum jelly on the feeders in order to keep ants away. If a bird flies up against the substance and gets it on its feathers, could this be dangerous? What does everyone think?

I have been feeding hummers for years and have never had problems cleaning my feeder. I clean it out every 3 days regardless of temps and just add boiling hot water to feeder and shake real good and repeat 2x. Done. Make my own nectar with sugar and NO RED coloring. Plenty of red on feeder. Birds are happy & healthy folks !

I live in Ohio (north of Dayton), and CAN NOT get any hummingbirds to visit my three feeders!! I use sugar water (1/2 cup to two cups of water mixed with some of the red stuff). I also added Feeder Fresh (nectar defender) to preserve it (worker at Lowe’s told me it helped her feeders). So, what am I doing wrong??!! T.

Its 1 part sugar to 4 parts water, no matter what size you use. So if you use 1/2 cup size put sugar then very hot water 1/2 cup 4 times ( no red color ) it is not safe for the birds nor necessary. I’ve never heard of Nectar Defender, if you change it out ever few days( I just use hot water) to be safe, it will be fine.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, too, and during one rainy and very windy storm watched as a year-round visitor hung on for dear life and took some sips every once in a while; I guess until it got enough and left. This happened a few times that week. Didn’t get a picture, though. I have also had to get a second feeder for the winter because one of mine froze overnight and the hummers were still trying to feed. Put the second one out (with room temperature sugar water) and took the frozen one in to thaw. Just kept switching them at daybreak each day.

I’ve done a lot of reading on the subject, some of the flowers that they feed on naturally, such as the salvias, have a very high sugar concentration. It’s supposed to Not be harmful to go 3:1 sugar/water during cold weather, and while they are trying to fatten up for migration. However, this concentration will spoil faster in hot weather, and will also attract more wasps/bees. So I don’t do it all of the time, although the little guys love it.

I have 2 Hummers, a mated pair of Orioles and a Grosbeak hitting on my 2 sugar-water feeders, which they’ll empty in about 4-5 days and they’re not hanging there long enough to become foul. I’ve had no bee problem, so have removed the guards.

Would suggest something be added regarding placement of the feeders. Hummingbirds are very territorial, therefore it serves little purpose to place 2-3 together. I place mine on different sides of the cottage so allow as many to visit as possible. Where I have good viewing, I put 2 near each other. Also, I always hang them in a shaded area to keep the sugar water as fresh as possible. Great site BTW!!

I live in south MS and have two resident rubythroats (one male one female) also have a rufous that sometimes stays all winter. So keep one 1 cup feeder out all year. During migration times I have 6 – 8 3 and 4 cup feeder out around my house and all need filled every other day.. I always boil my water and use ordinary sugar from Walmart for the 4 to 1 mix for hummer juice. NO red colouring at all!!!

I have now replaced my feeders with wide necked ones which makes cleaning very easy. As they get fiilled and emptied so quickly there is no time for mould to build up so they are simply rinsed in hot tap water then refilled. But once a week I do use bleach water and rinse well.

I use white vinegar and hot water to wash the feeders with a baby bottle brush every time I change the syrup. I have made 30 cups of syrup this past month and I only have 3 feeders which hold about 3 1/2 cups each.

I to use the sugar water mix but I also put a package of cherry red Kool-Aid in the water and they love it!!! and will chase one another, so much fun to sit on porch in swing and watch an listen to them they are not afraid of us,they are such a treat to have around.

Please do not use any of the red dye. They will love it just as much :). There little kidneys can’t handle it. If you are on Facebook, there is a group called The Humminbird Whisperer. There is a lot of good info there, and a lot of images of poor little hummingbirds in rehab from the red dye that is in kool aid and the red stuff.

To keep squirrels away from the feeder, just slide a wok that has no lip on the edge. Secure it partway up the pole. The squirrel cannot get by it, and will just eat what falls on the ground, he gets plenty there.

I use dental floss brushes to clean the spout tubes on my hummer feeders.They come in different diameters and just big enough to clean the spout tubes cause they get dirt inside. I also use them to clean the bee guards as you can get in the little holes..

I have a book that covers all subjects related to hummingbirds. It gives the ratio of 4 to 1 water to sugar, which they recommend as a starting ratio, and then once the hummers start coming, it recommends decreasing the sugar as a healthier mixture. No specific reduction is mentioned. I tried this, and the hummers return to a mixture of a little less sugar.

Hello all, putting Vaseline or anything else on feeders is a really bad idea for the health of the hummingbirds, vaseline can gunk up their feathers and other things can poison them. Please visit this page in this link. I also recommend Hummzinger feeders because the bees can’t really get in them, except for a rare bee – I use them with great success

To effectively clean my hummingbird feeders (I only buy and use feeders with glass not plastic) I take white vinegar and some grains of rice, shake everything really well, empty, and then rinse with hot water real well. This seems to do the trick. Also need to use tiny bristle brushes sometimes to clean all the nooks and crannies.

This year the hummingbirds showed up for one week in the end of May. Then they disappeared and we only see one couple at the feeder. I have asked around and everyone is saying the same thing. I even asked at the botanical gardens 52 miles away, same response. No one can tell me why they have disappeared. We usually have three feeders up and lots of hummers at them by now. Can you tell what happened this year to change things?

Wow, not sure, what is your ratio? It is very hot outside, it might be going bad and turning to syrup. You should probably change it every day right now. Also, you should only be using white sugar; like Dixie or something and read the label, because some of the “sugar” now that his labeled sugar is made from beets, make sure it is made from cane sugar.

I am so disappointed in this article. It is irresponsible not to mention that not being impeccable about changing your sugar water can be devastingly deadly for hummingbirds. They will develop an infection that inhibits their ability to feed. It is also important to note that once you put up a feeder the birds quickly become dependent upon it and if the feedings are not kept up, the bird can die in a matter of days. Skip the feeders and plant more flowers!!! Please be more responsible in your posts!

The scientists may still be “figuring out” about the red dye, but the wildlife rehabbers already have. Red dye in nectar is killing hummingbirds. The FDA may consider the dye safe, but not in the quantities that it is being fed (completely unnecessarily) to hummingbirds. Necropsies have revealed enlarged livers the color of red nectar — which is different than the color or hummingbird blood, or the natural color of a hummingbird’s liver. There is no excuse to use, manufacture or sell red hummingbird nectar.

I found a little bristle brush at Wild birds unlimited that is perfect for the bee guards, it’s very tiny so don’t drop it down the drain!!! 🙂

Now, how do I keep the ants away from the feeders! I have tried petroleum jelly on the top of the feeder, tried spraying raid on the wood above, neither keeps the ants away! Do you think the ants getting in the water makes the hummers sick? Help!

My mother used to boil water, then refrigerate it. I found this to be a royal pain, so I use filtered water. Our city water doesn’t taste all that good, so I keep a couple of pitchers (Brita type) for drinking water. They remove chlorine and heavy chemicals, and make it safe for hummers as well as more pleasant for humans. And Heidi, if you have plenty of plants in the area (as I do), the birds won’t be totally dependent on feeders, but they do provide a tasty and reliable additional food source.

I’m wondering about calcium. I have read, but do not use, the red prepackaged nectars available in stores. Not only do they add the red dye, but contain calcium for egglaying. Obviously it’s not in the common recipe of sugar and water. Am sure it beneficial, but wondering how else they supplement their diet and if they get enough.

First, I use a feeder with flat nectar holder and a lid that can be removed for easy cleaning. Second, it’s important to use the 1/4 c. table sugar to 1 c. water. Think about the birds’ good health.
Third, I put my feeders in the dishwasher and it gets any unwanted cleaned away from the little flowers — any nooks and crannies will be squeaky-clean. Rinse the feeder very well when it comes out of the dishwasher, just in case some of that strong soap remains.
AND
above all, i just think about the health of the birds. Mine come back year after year after year and I also have a steady stream of hummers through the winter. My granddaughter has a hummingbird nest on a shrub branch right outside her front door. It’s very near a feeder.

I had a problem with ants when I first started feeding hummingbirds so I made my own trap by turning a large plastic cap (from an orange juice bottle- It was RED!!) upside down, drilled a hole in the middle to attach a hook and applied a super thin layer of vasiline to the underside, then attach the feeder. I’ve never had a problem since with ants and I’ve been doing this for 20 yrs!! It lasts the whole season and I don’t have to worry about water evaporating or it getting wet and dripping. Only once did it drip which was my fault… I put too much vasiline and extremely hot out!!

Many thanks to everyone for your amazing ideas and suggestions. i live in the Bahamas and we have an abundance of migratory humming birds. I recently installed 2 new feeders as humming birds were landing just 2 feet away from me on my washing line – where the hell’s the camera?!! Beauty personified!

in the pic above taken by STEVE AND DAVE MASLOWSKI…I have to know, where did you get that feeder? I have the same exact one & want another and can’t find it anywhere! I have done online searches and no one has that particular feeder, which I originally bought at a Lowe’s store locally. Can you tell me where you got yours?? Oh and I have never used anything except sugar and water for my hummingbirds. NO red dye ever. They are very happy eaters!

Hello folks. I’ve been a fan of hummers for years, and decided to join the comments blog. To eliminate the hassle of boiling tap water I prefer to use Ozarka bottled water. Stored at room temperature, the sugar dissolves easily when stirred until the water becomes clear (about 2 minutes) We get some really hot summers in Oklahoma so changing the solution and cleaning the feeders every 3 days is a must.

I have a place in the country that I visit two to four times a month during the summer. In order to stretch the life of the nectar (tried commercial mixes with preservatives – birds didn’t like them), I try to keep the feeders as sterile as possible. I always use boiling water when adding the sugar and use two feeders that I rotate. When I take a feeder down to empty, I first rinse it out and then completely spray it with a 50/50 mix of household bleach and water (this is about a 3% solution). I leave the bleach spray on for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse it thoroughly with hot water. The feeder then sits for the week or two until I use it to replace the current one.